Hitting off of Hardpan

Hitting from hardpan can go wrong in a hurry if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Hardpan is usually a flat, hard, dried out area with little or no turf. It’s typically found in low irrigation areas or places where golf carts are often used.

Hitting from hardpan requires a certain type of shot. Since the ground is much harder, the club is likely to bounce into the ball if the club head hits behind the ball, even by a little. This creates a blade or thin struck shot.

One way to help this is to use a lower lofted iron because of the lower amount of bounce on the club. Another option is to use the original club, but lean the shaft forward a little to minimize the bounce on the club.